ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Microscopic 'Clutch' Puts Flagellum In Neutral Posted: 23 Jun 2008 10:00 AM CDT A tiny but powerful engine that propels the bacterium Bacillus subtilis through liquids is disengaged from the corkscrew-like flagellum by a protein clutch, scientists have learned. Scientists have long known what drives the flagellum to spin, but what causes the flagellum to stop spinning -- temporarily or permanently -- was unknown.

Lifestyle Can Alter Gene Activity, Lead To Insulin Resistance Posted: 23 Jun 2008 10:00 AM CDT A Finnish study of identical twins has found that physical inactivity and acquired obesity can impair expression of the genes which help the cells produce energy. The findings suggest that lifestyle, more than heredity, contributes to insulin resistance in people who are obese. Insulin resistance increases the chance of developing diabetes and heart disease.

New Findings On Immune System In Amphibians Posted: 23 Jun 2008 10:00 AM CDT Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) genes produce proteins that are crucial in fighting pathogen assault. Researchers characterized genetic variation and detected more than one MHC class II locus in a tailed amphibian. Unlike mammals, not much has been known until now about the immune defense of amphibians.

New Discoveries Get To The Heart Of Cardiovascular Disease Posted: 23 Jun 2008 10:00 AM CDT Even if you eat right and exercise regularly, chances are high that you'll still die of a heart attack or stroke. But thanks to new findings the odds may finally shift in your favor. Two unrelated studies on atherosclerosis that have the potential to save millions of lives.

World's Only Captive Hairy-nosed Otter Gets New Home Posted: 23 Jun 2008 10:00 AM CDT The world's only captive hairy-nosed otter is given a chance for survival in a new home. Thought to be extinct in the 1990s, the hairy-nosed otter is known to survive only in a few regions of Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam and Sumatra. Otters in Asia are increasingly threatened by the illegal international fur trade. They are also captured for pets or killed for use in traditional medicines. Another growing threat is loss of habitat, due in part to impacts from global climate change.

Intimate Examinations Should Not Be Performed Without Consent, Editorial Argues Posted: 23 Jun 2008 10:00 AM CDT Intimate examinations, performed by medical students on anesthetised patients, are often carried out without adequate consent from patients, but this violates their basic human rights and should not be allowed, claims an editorial.

DNA Study Unlocks Mystery To Diverse Traits In Dogs Posted: 23 Jun 2008 07:00 AM CDT New research reveals locations in a dog's DNA that contain genes that scientists believe contribute to differences in body and skull shape, weight, fur color and length -- and possibly even behavior, trainability and longevity.

Drug Reverses Mental Retardation Caused By Genetic Disorder; Hope For Correcting How Autism Disrupts Brain Posted: 23 Jun 2008 07:00 AM CDT A new UCLA study shows that the FDA-approved drug rapamycin reverses mental retardation in mice with a genetic disease called tuberous sclerosis complex. Because half of TSC patients also suffer from autism, the findings offer a possible mechanism for addressing learning disorders due to autism.

DNA Knot Keeps Viral Genes Tightly Corked Inside Shell, Scientists Discover Posted: 23 Jun 2008 07:00 AM CDT A novel twist of DNA may keep viral genes tightly wound within a capsule, waiting for ejection into a host, a high-resolution analysis of its structure has revealed. Using electron microscopy and three-dimensional computer reconstruction, biologists and chemists have produced the most detailed image yet of the protein envelope of an asymmetrical virus and the viral DNA packed within.

Gene Mutation Improves Leukemia Drug's Effect, Study Shows Posted: 23 Jun 2008 07:00 AM CDT Gene mutations that make cells cancerous can sometimes also make them more sensitive to chemotherapy. People with acute myeloid leukemia whose leukemic cells have mutations in the RAS gene are more likely to be cured when treated after remission with high doses of the drug cytarabine. It also suggests that testing for RAS mutations might help doctors identify which AML patients should receive high-dose cytarabine as their post-remission therapy. The findings could change how doctors manage these patients.

The Time Is Ripe For An Apple That Tastes Like Berries And One That Doesn't Brown Posted: 23 Jun 2008 07:00 AM CDT Mention an apple and most people will immediately associate the word with a crisp, juicy, sweet-tart red fruit. But ask Cornell fruit geneticist Susan Brown about apples, and she'll share visions of deep red flesh or skin patterned like feathers on a bird's back, of flavors like anise, berries or roses. She'll talk of apples loaded with cancer-preventive antioxidants or as much vitamin C as an orange, that don't brown when cut or go soft in storage.

Sexually Transmitted Disease, Urinary Tract Infections May Be Bad Combination For Birth Defect Posted: 23 Jun 2008 07:00 AM CDT Women who reported having both a sexually transmitted disease and urinary tract infection just before or during early pregnancy were four times more likely to have babies with gastroschisis -- a severe birth defect in which infants are born with their intestines and other internal organs outside the abdomen.

Tissue Regeneration: New Source Of Heart Stem Cells Discovered Posted: 23 Jun 2008 04:00 AM CDT Researchers have pinpointed a new, previously unrecognized group of stem cells that give rise to cardiomyocytes, or heart muscle cells. These stem cells, located in the surface of the heart, or epicardium, advance the hope of being able to regenerate injured heart tissue.

New Weight Loss Diet Recommends High-carb And Protein Big Breakfast Posted: 23 Jun 2008 04:00 AM CDT Researchers have found a possible way to overcome the common problem of dieters eventually abandoning their diet and regaining the weight they lost. Eat a big breakfast packed with carbohydrates and protein, then follow a low-carb, low-calorie diet the rest of the day, the authors of a new study recommend. Only five percent of carbohydrate-restrictive diets are successful after two years, one of the researchers said. Most carbohydrate-restrictive diets, she said, do not address addictive eating impulses.

Urologists Identify Seven Biomarkers That May Help Pinpoint Prostate Cancer Recurrence Posted: 23 Jun 2008 04:00 AM CDT A simple blood test may help doctors better predict whether prostate cancer will recur or spread in patients who have undergone surgery for the disease, researchers have found.

Testosterone Replacement Benefits Older Men With Low Testosterone, Studies Suggest Posted: 23 Jun 2008 04:00 AM CDT In older men with low testosterone levels, testosterone replacement therapy improves their risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes, according to two new studies.

Heritage Of A Deadly Disease Pinpointed With Help From Iceland's Genealogical Database Posted: 23 Jun 2008 04:00 AM CDT Scientists have used Iceland's genealogical database to trace the ancestors of patients suffering from hereditary cystatin C amyloid angiopathy. Analysis shows that the deadly mutation in the cystatin C gene, L68Q, derives from a common ancestor born roughly 18 generations ago, around 1550AD.

'Feeling Fat' Is Worse Than Being It, German Study Finds Posted: 23 Jun 2008 04:00 AM CDT The quality of life of adolescents who think they are too fat is worse than for adolescents who really are obese. This was a result of the all Germany Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS) of the Robert Koch Institute, as presented by Bärbel-Maria Kurth and Ute Ellert in the current edition of Deutsches Ärzteblatt International.

Hypertension Treatment Effective In Reversing Vascular Damage, Study Suggests Posted: 23 Jun 2008 01:00 AM CDT A hypertension medication called olmesartan medoxomil is effective in reversing the narrowing of the arteries that occurs in patients with high blood pressure. One of the study's lead investigators and director of the Hypertension and Vascular Research Center at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, said, "We believe the data add to the growing evidence for the role of angiotensin receptor blockers in preventing or reversing vascular damage at many stages during this disease process."

Lack Of Certain Gene Expression Sets Stage For Breast Cancer Posted: 23 Jun 2008 01:00 AM CDT Scientists have identified key steps in breast-tissue cell division that go awry when CHFR's action is low or absent. The gene's expression is missing in more than a third of breast cancers. The findings could make it possible to identify which patients are more likely to benefit from taxanes, a class of widely used cancer drugs which includes paclitaxel and docetaxel.

Potential Protein Biomarkers For Growth Hormone Identified Posted: 23 Jun 2008 01:00 AM CDT Scientists have identified several proteins in mice that might act as biomarkers for growth hormone. The research could be the first step to finding a more reliable way to detect recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH), which some athletes and teenagers use illegally to in an effort to boost muscle and reduce fat.

New Web Resource To Improve Crop Engineering Posted: 23 Jun 2008 01:00 AM CDT The Carnegie Institution's Department of Plant Biology has announced the launch of a new web-based resource that promises to help researchers around the world meet increasing demands for food production, animal feed, biofuels, industrial materials, and new medicines.

Family Stress And Child's Temper Extremes Contribute To Anxiety And Depression In Children Posted: 23 Jun 2008 01:00 AM CDT Small children who grow up in a family where the mother has psychological distress, the family is exposed to stress or is lacking social support, are at higher risk of developing anxious and depressive symptoms in early adolescence. Girls are more vulnerable than boys, and very timid or short-tempered children are more vulnerable than others to develop emotional problems. This is shown in a new doctorate study from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.

Stroke Study Reveals Key Target For Improving Treatment And Suggests That Gleevec May Help Posted: 21 Jun 2008 11:00 PM CDT For over a decade, the drug called tPA has proven its worth as the most effective emergency treatment for the most common kind of stroke, but bleeding risks and a limited time window for treatment have held it back. Now, a new study reveals why tPA has these limitations and gives tantalizing evidence about how those problems might be overcome, if a stroke victim first takes a drug currently used to treat leukemia.

A Plane With Wings Of Glass? Posted: 21 Jun 2008 11:00 PM CDT Glass is actually a "jammed" state of matter that moves very slowly. Like cars in a traffic jam, atoms in a glass can't reach their destination because the route is blocked by their neighbors, so it never quite becomes a "proper" solid. Now scientists have revealed that glass "fails" to be a solid due to the special atomic structures that form in a glass when it cools.

You are subscribed to email updates from ScienceDaily: Latest Science News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email Delivery powered by FeedBurner
Inbox too full? Subscribe to the feed version of ScienceDaily: Latest Science News in a feed reader.
If you prefer to unsubscribe via postal mail, write to: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News, c/o FeedBurner, 20 W Kinzie, 9th Floor, Chicago IL USA 60610

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

New Discovery Proves 'Selfish Gene' Exists Posted: 22 Jun 2008 07:00 PM CDT A new discovery provides conclusive evidence that the "selfish" gene does exist. In studying genomes, the word "selfish" does not refer to self-centered behavior but rather to the blind tendency of genes wanting to continue their existence into the next generation. Biologists have isolated a region on the honey bee genome that houses this "selfish" gene in female workers bees.

Advance Towards Early Alzheimer's Diagnosis Posted: 22 Jun 2008 07:00 PM CDT An Australian research project has found a way to bring forward the detection of early stage Alzheimer's disease by up to 18 months. Alzheimer's disease is characterized by very high levels of a molecule called beta-amyloid in the brain.

Sprinters Closest To Starter Pistol Have Advantage Over Those Farther Away, Says Study Posted: 22 Jun 2008 07:00 PM CDT "In sprint events, where hundredths of a second can make the difference between a gold medal and a silver, minimizing reaction time can be the key to an athlete's success. We suggest that procedures presently used to start the Olympic sprint events give runners closer to the starter the advantage of hearing the "go" signal louder; consequently, they react sooner than their competitors," says a researcher who has studied the question.

Striving To Break The Link Between Obesity And Diabetes Posted: 22 Jun 2008 07:00 PM CDT Obesity and type 2 diabetes are inextricably linked, but biochemist and geneticist Ling Qi is working to break that connection. Finding just the right gene could do it, says one professor of nutritional sciences.

Novel X-ray Source Could Be Brightest In The World Posted: 22 Jun 2008 07:00 PM CDT The future of high-intensity X-ray science has never been brighter now that scientists have devised a new type of next generation light sources. The oscillator is projected to increase the current brightness by millions of times.

Addicted To Grief? Chronic Grief Activates Pleasure Areas Of The Brain Posted: 22 Jun 2008 07:00 PM CDT Most of us experience the grief associated with the loss of a loved one at some point in our lives. New research now suggests that people who never get over their loss, who never "let go," may be activating neurons in the reward centers of the brain, possibly giving these memories addiction-like properties.

Birds Migrate Earlier, But Some May Be Left Behind As Climate Warms Rapidly Posted: 22 Jun 2008 01:00 PM CDT Many birds are arriving earlier each spring as temperatures warm along the East Coast of the United States. However, the farther those birds journey, the less likely they are to keep pace with the rapidly changing climate.

Mom's High Fat Diet During Pregnancy May Be Key To Child's Weight Issues Posted: 22 Jun 2008 01:00 PM CDT The notion that you are what you eat may go back even farther -- to your mother, said a Baylor College of Medicine researcher in a report that appears in the current issue of the Journal of Molecular Endocrinology.

Phoenix Mars Lander Delivers Soil Sample To Microscope Posted: 22 Jun 2008 01:00 PM CDT NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander Saturday beamed back images showing that Phoenix's Robotic Arm successfully sprinkled soil onto the delivery port of the lander's Optical Microscope.

New Technology May Prevent Vitamin B12 Deficient Seniors And Vegetarians From Needing Injections Posted: 22 Jun 2008 01:00 PM CDT For those patients who receive the nearly 40 million intramuscular injections per year to treat their B12 deficiency, a new oral option may soon exist. According to the National Institutes of Health, vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to a wide spectrum of conditions, such as anemia, dementia and reduced cognitive functioning.

Harnessing The Tibetan Sun Posted: 22 Jun 2008 01:00 PM CDT In many villages throughout Tibet, there are two ways to cook a meal. There's the traditional open fire, fueled by yak dung or the region's increasingly scarce wood. And then there are solar cookers, concentrating mirrors made of two-inch-thick concrete and covered with a mosaic of small glass mirrors.

Poor Children More Likely To Develop Diabetes As Adults Posted: 22 Jun 2008 01:00 PM CDT Diabetes strikes harder at those who were poor as children, according to a new study that spans more than three decades. Participants who were disadvantaged in youth were more likely to develop diabetes than better-off peers were during the 34-year study time frame.

Newly Born Twin Stars Are Far From Identical Posted: 22 Jun 2008 07:00 AM CDT The analysis of the youngest pair of identical twin stars yet discovered has revealed surprising differences in brightness, surface temperature and possibly even in size, suggesting that the stars formed at significantly different times rather than simultaneously as generally assumed.

How Measles Virus Spreads: Discovery May Rewrite Textbooks Posted: 22 Jun 2008 07:00 AM CDT Measles, one of the most common contagious diseases, has been thought to enter the body through the surface of airways and lungs, like many other major viruses. Now, scientists say that's not the case, and some medical texts will have to be revised.

Phoenix Mars Lander Confirms Frozen Water On Red Planet Posted: 22 Jun 2008 07:00 AM CDT Scientists relishing confirmation of water ice near the surface beside NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander anticipate even bigger discoveries from the robotic mission in the weeks ahead.

Researchers See Alternative To Common Colorectal Cancer Drug Posted: 22 Jun 2008 07:00 AM CDT A compound that accumulates in cells more readily than a commonly used colorectal cancer drug may be just as useful in treating colorectal tumors, but with fewer side effects, researchers have found.

Efficiency Experts Seek To Save Precious Minutes In Deploying Ambulances Posted: 22 Jun 2008 07:00 AM CDT Every extra second it takes an ambulance to get to its destination can mean life or death. But how, besides driving faster, can ambulances get emergency services to people in need as efficiently as possible, every day? It's a classic operations research question that three researchers are tackling in groundbreaking ways.

The Economics Of Nice Folks Posted: 22 Jun 2008 07:00 AM CDT A researcher argues in Science that a basic tenet of economics -- that people always behave selfishly -- can be wrong, sometimes badly so. He points to new experimental evidence that people do often act against their own personal self-interest in favor of the common good, and they do so in predictable, understandable ways. Poorly-designed economic institutions fail to take advantage of intrinsic moral behavior and often undermine it.

NASA Launches Ocean Satellite To Keep A Weather, Climate Eye Open Posted: 21 Jun 2008 11:00 PM CDT A new NASA-French space agency oceanography satellite launched today from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., on a globe-circling voyage to continue charting sea level, a vital indicator of global climate change. The mission will return a vast amount of new data that will improve weather, climate and ocean forecasts.

You are subscribed to email updates from ScienceDaily: Latest Science News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email Delivery powered by FeedBurner
Inbox too full? Subscribe to the feed version of ScienceDaily: Latest Science News in a feed reader.
If you prefer to unsubscribe via postal mail, write to: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News, c/o FeedBurner, 20 W Kinzie, 9th Floor, Chicago IL USA 60610

ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

Saturn’s Secondary Aurora Is Much More Like Jupiter’s In Origin Than It Is The Earth’s Posted: 21 Jun 2008 07:00 PM CDT Researchers have discovered a secondary aurora sparkling on Saturn and also started to unravel the mechanisms that drive the process. Their results show that Saturn's secondary aurora is much more like Jupiter's in origin than it is the Earth's.

Low Testosterone Appears To Increase Long-term Risk Of Death Posted: 21 Jun 2008 07:00 PM CDT Men may not live as long if they have low testosterone, regardless of their age, according to a new study. The new study adds to the scientific evidence linking deficiency of this sex hormone with increased death from all causes over time--so-called "all-cause mortality."

Getting Wrapped Up In Solar Textiles Posted: 21 Jun 2008 07:00 PM CDT Expert in the integration of solar cell technology in architecture are creating designs for flexible photovoltaic materials that may change the way buildings receive and distribute energy.

Promising Chinese Herbal Targets Identified For Acute Pancreatitis Posted: 21 Jun 2008 07:00 PM CDT Researchers have determined the genetic treatment mechanism of Chaiqinchengqi decoction, which is a basic Chinese herbal compound commonly used in the treatment of acute pancreatitis. It can upregulate sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) mRNA expression of pancreatic tissue as well as inhibit the elevation of calcium concentration in pancreatic acinar cells while relieving pancreatic lesions in an acute pancreatitis model of rats.

Experimental Phone Network Uses Virtual Sticky Notes Posted: 21 Jun 2008 07:00 PM CDT The rapid convergence of social networks, mobile phones and global positioning technology has given engineers the ability to create something they call "virtual sticky notes," site-specific messages that people can leave for others to pick up on their mobile phones.

Chill Out, Your Computer Knows What’s Best For You Posted: 21 Jun 2008 07:00 PM CDT Computers are starting to become more human-centric, anticipating your needs and smoothly acting to meet them. The technologies under development leave humans free to concentrate on their real work instead of having to think about the computer and how to operate it.

Exciton-Based Circuits Eliminate A ‘Speed Trap’ Between Computing And Communication Signals Posted: 21 Jun 2008 01:00 PM CDT Particles called excitons that emit a flash of light as they decay could be used for a new form of computing better suited to fast communication, physicists at UC San Diego have demonstrated.

Huntington's Disease: Discovery Will Assist Treatment And Research Into Fatal Brain Disorder Posted: 21 Jun 2008 01:00 PM CDT Research using newly developed Magnetic Resonance Imaging technology could soon allow clinicians to confirm Huntington's disease before symptoms appear in people who have the gene for the fatal brain disease.

Digital Water Pavilion Makes A Splash In Spain Posted: 21 Jun 2008 01:00 PM CDT An MIT-designed building with walls made entirely of water is being unveiled Thursday at the opening of the Zaragoza World Expo in Spain. This is the first of its kind and illustrates the potential of digital architecture to create spaces that dynamically adjust to people and conditions. The "water walls" that make up the structure are generated by high-speed computer controlled solenoid valves. They can be programmed to take varying shapes, to display patterns, images and text, and to respond dynamically to input from sensors.

New Weapon For Attacking Tumor Invasion And Metastasis Posted: 21 Jun 2008 01:00 PM CDT Scientists have determined that AMD3100, originally developed in acquired immune deficiency syndrome treatment, could markedly inhibit spreading of colorectal cancer cells by blocking a new pair of ligands and its unique receptor. This effect differs from the usual inhibition by a conventional chemotherapic agent that is more specific to cancer cells with high metastatic potential.

Wavelets Crunch Through Doctors' Day Long Struggle To Diagnose Brain Tumors Posted: 21 Jun 2008 01:00 PM CDT Today if doctors devote a full day to analysis and expert thought, they may be able to provide just half a dozen patients with a diagnosis of the precise type of brain tumor they face. Now researchers have devised an automated technique that can give a preliminary analysis of the precise brain tumor type within seconds.

Elderly's Restless Nights Helped By Ancient Martial Art Posted: 21 Jun 2008 01:00 PM CDT More than half of all older adults complain about having difficulties sleeping. Most don't bother seeking treatment. Those who do usually turn to medications, which can lead to other health problems. Now, researchers report that practicing Tai Chi Chih, the Westernized version of the 2,000-year-old Chinese martial art, promotes sleep quality in older adults with moderate sleep complaints.

Novel Compound May Treat Acute Diarrhea Posted: 21 Jun 2008 07:00 AM CDT In a development that may lessen the epidemic of diarrhea-related deaths among children in developing countries, scientists have discovered a novel compound that might lead to an inexpensive, easy-to-take treatment.

Project Succeeding To Relocate Caspian Terns Posted: 21 Jun 2008 07:00 AM CDT A major initiative to create alternative nesting sites for the largest colony of Caspian terns in the world -- and to help protect juvenile salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River -- is finding early success.

New Inhibitors Of Estrogen-dependent Breast Cancer Cells Posted: 21 Jun 2008 07:00 AM CDT Researchers have discovered a new family of agents that inhibit the growth of estrogen-dependent breast cancer cells. The finding has opened an avenue of research into new drugs to combat estrogen-dependent breast cancers.

Aquatic Insect 'Family Trees' Provide Clues About Sensitivity To Pollution Posted: 21 Jun 2008 07:00 AM CDT A new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows that examining an insect's "family tree" might help predict a "cousin" insect's level of tolerance to pollutants, and therefore could be a reliable way to understand why certain insect species thrive or suffer under specific ecological conditions.

Educational Benefits Of Social Networking Sites Uncovered Posted: 21 Jun 2008 07:00 AM CDT In a first-of-its-kind study, researchers have discovered the educational benefits of social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook. The same study found that low-income students are in many ways just as technologically proficient as their counterparts.

You are subscribed to email updates from ScienceDaily: Latest Science News To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email Delivery powered by FeedBurner
Inbox too full? Subscribe to the feed version of ScienceDaily: Latest Science News in a feed reader.
If you prefer to unsubscribe via postal mail, write to: ScienceDaily: Latest Science News, c/o FeedBurner, 20 W Kinzie, 9th Floor, Chicago IL USA 60610